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Saturday, January 5, 2013

Book Review: Diary of a Wimpy Kid

My Bookworms are Hooked on Phonics Diary of a Wimpy Kid

When we first received Diary of a Wimpy Kid (book 1) in the mail, my chickadees thought I was saying Diarrhea of a Wimpy Kid, so they wouldn't have anything to do with the book. Then in true bookworm form, they cracked it open, started flipping through the pages and began chuckling.

Only one of them is a full-fledged reader (the 7 year old), but my 5 year old creates her own story line by looking at the pictures, which is always interesting. They read a variety of books, but they usually prefer girly-girl books; all things pink, pretty, and preferably with ponies. (How do you like that alliteration?) I wasn't sure if the Wimpy Kids books would appeal to them as I thought it might be too geared towards an older, male demographic. But fortunately, they proved me wrong.

The cartoons are actually very clever and funny. It seems all kids can relate to scenarios of being picked on or feeling small.

My oldest daughter said of the book, "Diary of a Wimpy Kid is awesome because it's funny and a little bit gross. The pictures are cool because it has cool dudes." She especially laughed at the part where one of the boys was running for class treasurer and they didn't want to vote for him because he had had lice earlier that year. Ironically, all of us had lice earlier this year...

My youngest daughter said of the book, "The book is silly. I like the pictures."

Daddy-O said of the book, "Every child can find themselves in at least one of the stories and relate."

For myself, I chuckled at several of the diary entries especially this one:

I've been quoted, "Real women have muscles."

I also like the font that looks like handwriting and that it actually resembles a middle-schooler's diary with the simple (but genius) drawings.

Books 1-7 in the bestselling Diary of a Wimpy Kid series are now available for download as Wimp-E-Books wherever e-Books are sold. Wimp-E-Books carry their own name and logo.

Author and illustrator Jeff Kinney was involved in all aspects of the transformation of the Wimpy Kid books into e-book form. Says Kinney, “It was important to me to make sure the books look just as good on the screen as they do on paper. I’m thrilled at the way the books look on e-readers, tablets, and other devices, and I hope fans enjoy having them in digital format as much as they've enjoyed them as books.”

About Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 1

It's a new school year, and Greg Heffley finds himself thrust into middle school, where undersized weaklings share the hallways with kids who are taller, meaner, and already shaving. The hazards of growing up before you're ready are uniquely revealed through words and drawings as Greg records them in his diary.

In book one of this debut series, Greg is happy to have Rowley, his sidekick, along for the ride. But when Rowley's star starts to rise, Greg tries to use his best friend's new-found popularity to his own advantage, kicking off a chain of events that will test their friendship in hilarious fashion.About Newly-Released Book # 7: The Third Wheel

A Valentine’s Day dance at Greg’s middle school has turned his world upside down. As Greg scrambles to find a date, he’s worried he’ll be left out in the cold on the big night. His best friend, Rowley, doesn’t have any prospects either, but that’s a small consolation.

An unexpected twist gives Greg a partner for the dance and leaves Rowley the odd man out. But a lot can happen in one night, and in the end, you never know who’s going to be lucky in love.

About Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Before the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books were published, stories from the first three books appeared digitally for free on the website www.funbrain.com, where they are still available. Books in the core series by Jeff Kinney include Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2007), Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (2008), Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw(2009), Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (2009), Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth (2010), and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever (2011).

Jeff Kinney has also written and illustrated The Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book and The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary. The series is a fixture on the USA Today bestseller list and the Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. It has also remained consistently in the top spots on the New York Times lists since publication of the first book in the series in 2007.

About the Author

Jeff Kinney is an online game developer and designer, and a #1 New York Times bestselling author. Jeff was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. He spent his childhood in the Washington, D.C., area and moved to New England in 1995. Jeff lives in southern Massachusetts with his wife and their two sons.

Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of Diary of a Wimpy Kid book 1 to facilitate a review. All opinions remain my own.